A Cell fit for the PSP?
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 2nd 2005 at 11:00AM }
During a recent technology conference,
Sony's Ken Kutaragi revealed
plans to introduce a "Micro Cell" into mobile technology. Sony plans to shrink the Cell chip from a 90-nanometer
process to a 65-nanometer process; and eventually, down to a 45-nanometer process. Admittedly, the Micro Cell is being
designed with future cell phone models in mind, but imagine what one of these bad boys could do for a next-gen
PSP…
[Thanks, Brandon]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
xBenDoverx @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Cooooooool...
..it's funny how just because things are smaller, doesn't mean that the price will follow it's "smallness"
Tighty Whities @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
"imagine what one of these bad boys could do for a next-gen PSP"
Could it shake some better games out of PSP developers? That would be a good start.
Kuroshi @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
maybe it can keep the games from sucking so I can do something besides watch movies.
Sockatume @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
I see battery life jokes...
A portable PS3's a horrific idea if it doesn't play actual PS3 software though. Handheld development's thin on the ground as it is: developing for PS3-based tech, which requires multi-million dollar budgets and dozens if not hundreds of staff would put the fear of God into even the most open-minded publisher.
Master misChief @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
The reduction in the chip size will negate any size savings by the increased need for heat dissipation which ATM, cannot be included in the current PSP size case. Too bad. Anybody remember the PS3 dev kits running hot as ovens and melting down due to intense heat generated by the Cell?
joss @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
It sounds like a logical progression but I definetly don't like talk of a next-gen PSP when I wont even be getting the original one till next week :/
Mr. Kutaragi needs some quiet time in the corner I think.
CapAmerica @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Unless this gives the PSP some actual decent games that makes the PSP worth buying, I don't give a rats ass what the hell is in the system. Damn it Sony its the games that make the console not the bloody hardware.
Why has Sony all of a sudden taken Microsoft's orignal aproch to videogames where its all about how powerful the system is and not about the games.
I am Striker @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Well I wont be getting a next-gen psp, so I could care less. But maybe sony should be focusing on the first one and stop getting ahead of themselves.
LunarDuality @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
"imagine what one of these bad boys could do for a next-gen PSP"
Yeah...guarantee that all you have for games on the system is watered down ports of PS3 games. Let the cycle continue!
Oh yeah, and heat, power consumption, and cost of development might pose problems too.
mike @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Could it shake some better games out of PSP developers? That would be a good start.
---
In the meantime, DS's are like $130..grab one so you can play MK and all those RPGs like FF3D and SoM...
Seriously, you think developers are waiting for MORE POWER from the PSP?
Sony has to really ask itself why a PS2 owner would want to pay upwards of $300 to play the same games, watered down on a PSP that's scarcely portable (battery life).
That better be a short fuckin plane ride.
Nossy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
PSP 2? You're crazy. More like slimline PS3. Hopefully this time around, it'll support hard drive function too.
epobirs @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Sony will produce die shrinks of the Cell as smaller process technologies become available?
Gasp! Shock! Surprise!
Who would ever suspect that Sony would cleverly follow the course of microprocessor history? Those fiendish devils!
Some folks here don't understand the utility of this. A die shrink means more chips can be produced per wafer and thus the cost per chip is a good bit lower. As well, if the chip is run at the same speed as the larger version it will draw less power. It is this progression that allowed the previous Playstations to be reduced in size and be profitable. The PS2 should get down to $75 or less before it's finally discontinued. Die shrinks of the Cell and other PS3 chips will be needed for it to follow the same path. (It was the unavailability of die shrinks to the Nvidia XGPU and XMCP that prevented Microsoft from releasing smaller and lower priced versions of the Xbox.)
JS @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
Am with the majority on this, I think Sony should stop thinking about the next PSP and concertrate on their current system, for pites sake its hardly a year ( It was only released in the uk just afew months ago)
If Sony want to at least give their handheld a chance then the talk of a next PSP should be the furtherest from their mind.
FORGET THE NEXT PSP FOCUS ON THE GAMES SONY ...
THE BLASTED GAMES!!! : )
Antaeus @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
gosh people kutaragi didn't say crap about the next psp I don't know why you guys are going on about it like rats.
darryl @ Dec 18th 2005 10:00PM
"gosh people kutaragi didn't say crap about the next psp I don't know why you guys are going on about it like rats."
Exactly!
"The reduction in the chip size will negate any size savings by the increased need for heat dissipation which ATM, cannot be included in the current PSP size case"
"Oh yeah, and heat, power consumption, and cost of development might pose problems too."
If you guys had read the article before posting, you may have understood that the mini-Cell "...is being designed with future cell phone models in mind...", so I highly doubt that power/heat will be a problem.